Andersen’s Fairy Tales

But that the end of it, like the Rhine, was very
insignificant, proved, in his opinion, the author’s want of
invention; he was without genius, etc. This was an
excellent opportunity to have said something clever.
Meanwhile he was haunted by the idea—he should like
to possess such a pair of spectacles himself; then, perhaps,
by using them circumspectly, one would be able to look
into people’s hearts, which, he thought, would be far
more interesting than merely to see what was to happen
next year; for that we should all know in proper time, but
the other never.
‘I can now,’ said he to himself, ‘fancy the whole row of
ladies and gentlemen sitting there in the front row; if one
could but see into their hearts—yes, that would be a
revelation—a sort of bazar. In that lady yonder, so
strangely dressed, I should find for certain a large milliner’s
shop; in that one the shop is empty, but it wants cleaning
plain enough. But there would also be some good stately
shops among them. Alas!’ sighed he, ‘I know one in which
all is stately; but there sits already a spruce young
shopman, which is the only thing that’s amiss in the whole
shop. All would be splendidly decked out, and we should
hear, ‘Walk in, gentlemen, pray walk in; here you will
find all you please to want.’ Ah! I wish to Heaven I could